Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)
Encyclopedia
"Jackie Wilson Said" is a song written and performed by Van Morrison
and featured as the opening track on his sixth studio album, Saint Dominic's Preview
. It was released by Warner Bros.
in July 1972 as the first of three singles from the album and charted at number sixty-one on the US Billboard Hot 100
.
"Jackie Wilson Said" was covered by Dexys Midnight Runners
on their album Too-Rye-Ay
and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart
when released in 1982. It has been covered by several other artists throughout the years, including: David Campbell
, Syl Johnson
, Tommy McLain
and Darby O'Gill
.
in San Francisco during one of the sessions for Saint Dominic's Preview
. The song featured as the opening tune on the album released by Warner Bros.
in July 1972.
According to Morrison "Jackie Wilson Said" was "particularly inspired" by a line in Jackie Wilson
's song "Reet Petite
". Morrison also acknowledged later in his career that his vocals are also influenced by the 1950s soul
singer, remarking that Wilson's consecutive hits were an important influence in developing his early vocal style. According to biographer Peter Mills, Morrison's vocal performance, which borrows from early styles of rhythm and blues
, pop
, jazz
and blues
, "is prime time Morrison: tight, melodic, fully vocalised from the centre-back of the throat".
The tune is composed in the key of G major
, with a chord progression
throughout the song of Am-D-Am-D-G. It is written in a swung 4/4 time and has a moderately bright tempo
of 156 beats per minute. It also features a walking bassline. The song begins with an a cappella
scat
over handclaps introduction, followed by the saxophone
section in harmony
with Morrison's vocal, which builds up until all the members of the band are playing on the track. Biographer John Collis writes that the "scat phrase kicking off the first track, 'Jackie Wilson Said', hotly pursued by a confident big band r'n'b arrangement, promises well." During the chorus, when Morrison sings the song's sub-title "I'm in Heaven", the band stops playing briefly. The vocal is accompanied by tapped out beats by Doug Messenger muting his guitar's strings. Morrison remembered in an interview that the song "came with just voice and guitar first ... I was just singing the sax riff."
Commenting on the joyful spirit of the song, Erik Hage
describes "Jackie Wilson Said" as "about elation" and believes "the music inspires in the listener a sense of freewheeling abandonment and joy." Hage compared it to the pop R&B that Morrison "can summon at will" such as the songs, "Domino
" and "Wild Night
" and went on to write that, "Somehow he is able to congeal the feeling of listening to one's favorite music and/or looking at a loved one's smile into song, and it just may be the most immediate and euphoric recording in his entire catalogue—it inspires a rush of emotion."
" as the B-side
. It peaked at number sixty-one on the US Billboard Hot 100
. Thomas Ryan wrote in 1996 that the song was "denied its commercial destiny by never gaining entry to the upper echelons of the singles charts, a fact as unacceptable as it is inexplicable."
In reviewing the album for the BBC
, James Young describes the song as "soulful and uplifting" and comments that "it's awash with lyrical hooks powered by his increasingly mellifluous voice, and backed with pumping horns and rhythm section. It also showcases his signature utterances and vocalisations, the do-de-de-doos and dang-a-lang-a-langs, which are pure homage to his soul and doo-wop influences."
Robert Christgau
wrote in his review of Saint Dominic's Preview, "'Jackie Wilson said it was reet petite,' he shouts for openers, and soon has me believing that 'I'm in heaven when you smile' says as much about the temporal and the eternal as anything in Yeats."
Reviewer Scott Floman states that the song was the best of "four monumental tracks" on the album commenting that, "The joyous 'Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)' starts the album off with three minutes of pop perfection, thereby continuing his recent trend of beginning each album with a great concise upbeat number. This grand horn heavy homage to another great r&b performer is the best of the bunch."
compilation album, The Best of Van Morrison
. In 2007, it was also included on two other compilation albums, Van Morrison at the Movies - Soundtrack Hits
and Still on Top - The Greatest Hits
. The recording released on Still on Top was remastered and featured as the album's opening track.
It has featured in two movies: the 1984 film, The Pope of Greenwich Village
, and as the opening theme of the film, Queens Logic
, released in 1991. Actress Whoopi Goldberg
included the song as one of her eight Desert Island Discs
on BBC Radio 4
on May 10, 2009.
". This version was recorded on December 7, 1998 at a concert in Bierhuebeli, Bern, Switzerland. Live television broadcasts of the song have been aired twice: on December 19, 1998 in Phillipshalle, Düsseldorf
, Germany for the Rockpalast
television series and again on June 10, 2000 from the Frognebadet in Oslo
, Norway.
Following the song's release in 1972, Morrison only performed it twice in concert throughout the 1970s. Regular performances began in the mid 1980s on tours from 1984 to 1986. Subsequently, the next occasion of frequent performances was on Morrison's 1990 tour of Europe and the United States. After a four year absence from concerts, it became a staple of live shows in the 1990s and 2000s.
, originally recorded a live version of "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" in November 1981 at the Old Vic
Theatre, London.
In the summer of 1982, the band recorded it for their album, Too-Rye-Ay
, released in August 1982. As Dexys Midnight Runners' frontman, Kevin Rowland
, admitted to writer Peter Mills, one of the reasons that the band recorded it was because he "had a soft spot for the song". It was released as the follow-up single to their number-one hit "Come On Eileen
" and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart
, as well as sixteen on the Dutch Top 40
. The band's record label, Mercury Records
, originally wanted "Jackie Wilson Said" to be released as the first single from Too-Rye-Ay, but "Come On Eileen" was considered a better take. Van Morrison was requested to contribute to this cover of "Jackie Wilson Said". Instead Morrison intoned comments for fans in a monologue intended as an album coda, but this was eventually cut from the album.
At the time of Too-Rye-Ays release, it was often written up by the media as being a "Van Morrison rip-off". Rowland later denied this and commented, "They weren't saying I was influenced by Van. They were saying it was a rip off. But I made that clear, I spoke about that. I covered one of his songs for god's sake!".
The song was later reissued on several compilation albums including: The Very Best of Dexys Midnight Runners
, Dexys Midnight Runners - Mercury Master Series, Let's Make this Precious: The Best of Dexys Midnight Runners and it also was featured on the live album, BBC Radio One Live in Concert
.
Dexys Minight Runners version of "Jackie Wilson Said" was included in "Bomb", a 1982 episode of the television series, The Young Ones
. They performed it on Top of the Pops
, but in front of a picture of darts player, Jocky Wilson
. There remains some debate as to whether it was a misunderstanding or a deliberate act.
in 1999 on the album, The Cajun Rod Stewart: Crazy Cajun Recordings. A cover version of the song by Syl Johnson
was released on the 2003 tribute album, Vanthology: a Tribute to Van Morrison
. Irish band Darby O'Gill
covered the song on the 2004 album, The Gettin's Good. David Campbell
recorded a version on his 2008 album, Good Lovin'
.
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
and featured as the opening track on his sixth studio album, Saint Dominic's Preview
Saint Dominic's Preview
Saint Dominic's Preview is the sixth solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in July 1972 by Warner Bros. Records...
. It was released by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in July 1972 as the first of three singles from the album and charted at number sixty-one on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
"Jackie Wilson Said" was covered by Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
on their album Too-Rye-Ay
Too-Rye-Ay
Too-Rye-Ay is the second album by Dexys Midnight Runners, released in August 1982 . The album is best known for the hit single "Come On Eileen".-Track listing:#"The Celtic Soul Brothers" – 3:08...
and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
when released in 1982. It has been covered by several other artists throughout the years, including: David Campbell
David Campbell (Australian musician)
David Joseph Campbell is an Australian singer and stage performer. He has performed and recorded many different genres of music from rock to classics. He is the son of singer Jimmy Barnes.-Theatre career:...
, Syl Johnson
Syl Johnson
Syl Johnson is an American blues and soul singer and record producer.-Biography:Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed...
, Tommy McLain
Tommy McLain
Tommy McLain is an American swamp pop musician, best known as a singer but who also plays keyboards, drums, bass guitar, and fiddle.-Career:...
and Darby O'Gill
Darby O'Gill (band)
Darby O'Gill is an Irish/folk band based in Portland, Oregon. The band's name is taken from a fictional character who appears in the writings of the Irish-American author Herminie Templeton Kavanagh.- Band history :Darby O'Gill was formed in 1994...
.
Recording and composition
Morrison first recorded "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" in early 1972 at the Pacific High and Wally Heider StudiosWally Heider Studios
Wally Heider Studios was a recording studio in San Francisco, California between 1969 and 1980, started by recording engineer and studio owner Wally Heider.-History:...
in San Francisco during one of the sessions for Saint Dominic's Preview
Saint Dominic's Preview
Saint Dominic's Preview is the sixth solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in July 1972 by Warner Bros. Records...
. The song featured as the opening tune on the album released by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in July 1972.
According to Morrison "Jackie Wilson Said" was "particularly inspired" by a line in Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson
Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history...
's song "Reet Petite
Reet Petite
"Reet Petite " is a song made popular by Jackie Wilson...
". Morrison also acknowledged later in his career that his vocals are also influenced by the 1950s soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer, remarking that Wilson's consecutive hits were an important influence in developing his early vocal style. According to biographer Peter Mills, Morrison's vocal performance, which borrows from early styles of rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, "is prime time Morrison: tight, melodic, fully vocalised from the centre-back of the throat".
The tune is composed in the key of G major
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
, with a chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
throughout the song of Am-D-Am-D-G. It is written in a swung 4/4 time and has a moderately bright tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 156 beats per minute. It also features a walking bassline. The song begins with an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
scat
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
over handclaps introduction, followed by the saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
section in harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
with Morrison's vocal, which builds up until all the members of the band are playing on the track. Biographer John Collis writes that the "scat phrase kicking off the first track, 'Jackie Wilson Said', hotly pursued by a confident big band r'n'b arrangement, promises well." During the chorus, when Morrison sings the song's sub-title "I'm in Heaven", the band stops playing briefly. The vocal is accompanied by tapped out beats by Doug Messenger muting his guitar's strings. Morrison remembered in an interview that the song "came with just voice and guitar first ... I was just singing the sax riff."
Commenting on the joyful spirit of the song, Erik Hage
Erik Hage
Erik Hage is an American writer, cultural reporter, and critic raised in Boston and New York State. His books include the critical biography The Words and Music of Van Morrison and the work of literary criticism Cormac McCarthy: A Literary Companion , which was deemed "indispensable," "engaging,"...
describes "Jackie Wilson Said" as "about elation" and believes "the music inspires in the listener a sense of freewheeling abandonment and joy." Hage compared it to the pop R&B that Morrison "can summon at will" such as the songs, "Domino
Domino (Van Morrison song)
"Domino" is a hit song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It is the opening track of his fourth studio album, His Band and the Street Choir. This song is Morrison's personal musical tribute to New Orleans R&B singer and pianist Fats Domino.It was released by Warner Bros...
" and "Wild Night
Wild Night
"Wild Night" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and is the opening track on his fifth studio album Tupelo Honey. It was released as a single in 1971 and reached number twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart....
" and went on to write that, "Somehow he is able to congeal the feeling of listening to one's favorite music and/or looking at a loved one's smile into song, and it just may be the most immediate and euphoric recording in his entire catalogue—it inspires a rush of emotion."
Reception
"Jackie Wilson Said" was released as a single in July 1972 in the US and August 1972 in the UK, with the rare and never again released song, "You've Got the PowerYou've Got the Power
"You've Got the Power" is an outtake from Van Morrison's 1972 album, Saint Dominic's Preview. It was released as the B-side to "Jackie Wilson Said " in 1972.-Composition:...
" as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
. It peaked at number sixty-one on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Thomas Ryan wrote in 1996 that the song was "denied its commercial destiny by never gaining entry to the upper echelons of the singles charts, a fact as unacceptable as it is inexplicable."
In reviewing the album for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, James Young describes the song as "soulful and uplifting" and comments that "it's awash with lyrical hooks powered by his increasingly mellifluous voice, and backed with pumping horns and rhythm section. It also showcases his signature utterances and vocalisations, the do-de-de-doos and dang-a-lang-a-langs, which are pure homage to his soul and doo-wop influences."
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
wrote in his review of Saint Dominic's Preview, "'Jackie Wilson said it was reet petite,' he shouts for openers, and soon has me believing that 'I'm in heaven when you smile' says as much about the temporal and the eternal as anything in Yeats."
Reviewer Scott Floman states that the song was the best of "four monumental tracks" on the album commenting that, "The joyous 'Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)' starts the album off with three minutes of pop perfection, thereby continuing his recent trend of beginning each album with a great concise upbeat number. This grand horn heavy homage to another great r&b performer is the best of the bunch."
Other releases and in the media
In addition to its appearance on Saint Dominic's Preview, "Jackie Wilson Said" was included on Morrison's 1990 multi-platinumMusic recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
compilation album, The Best of Van Morrison
The Best of Van Morrison
The Best of Van Morrison is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1990 ....
. In 2007, it was also included on two other compilation albums, Van Morrison at the Movies - Soundtrack Hits
Van Morrison at the Movies - Soundtrack Hits
Van Morrison at the Movies – Soundtrack Hits is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 2007 comprising 19 songs as featured in various movies. The album was released on 12 February 2007 in the United Kingdom and February 13, 2007 in the United States. ...
and Still on Top - The Greatest Hits
Still on Top - The Greatest Hits
Still on Top – The Greatest Hits is the third compilation album to be issued by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison in 2007 . It was released...
. The recording released on Still on Top was remastered and featured as the album's opening track.
It has featured in two movies: the 1984 film, The Pope of Greenwich Village
The Pope of Greenwich Village
The Pope of Greenwich Village is a 1984 American film starring Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts, Daryl Hannah, Geraldine Page, Kenneth McMillan and Burt Young. Page earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her two-scene role. The film was adapted by screenwriter Vincent Patrick...
, and as the opening theme of the film, Queens Logic
Queens Logic
Queens Logic is a 1991 comedy from Seven Arts Pictures starring Kevin Bacon, Linda Fiorentino, Joe Mantegna, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Malkovich, Ken Olin, Chloe Webb and Tom Waits...
, released in 1991. Actress Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
included the song as one of her eight Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
on May 10, 2009.
Live performances
Morrison has performed "Jackie Wilson Said" four-hundred and sixty-one times in concert (as of 2009); despite its frequent appearances at live shows, the only officially released live version was on the 1999 single, "Precious TimePrecious Time (Van Morrison song)
"Precious Time" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and recorded on his 1999 album, Back on Top. It was released as a single in the UK and charted at #36...
". This version was recorded on December 7, 1998 at a concert in Bierhuebeli, Bern, Switzerland. Live television broadcasts of the song have been aired twice: on December 19, 1998 in Phillipshalle, Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, Germany for the Rockpalast
Rockpalast
Rockpalast is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk . Rockpalast started in 1974 and continues to this day. Hundreds of rock and jazz bands have performed on Rockpalast...
television series and again on June 10, 2000 from the Frognebadet in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway.
Following the song's release in 1972, Morrison only performed it twice in concert throughout the 1970s. Regular performances began in the mid 1980s on tours from 1984 to 1986. Subsequently, the next occasion of frequent performances was on Morrison's 1990 tour of Europe and the United States. After a four year absence from concerts, it became a staple of live shows in the 1990s and 2000s.
Personnel
- Van MorrisonVan MorrisonVan Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
- vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Bill ChurchBill ChurchWilliam 'Bill' Church , started out playing bass in a band called Sawbuck in 1969, with Mojo Collins, Starr Donaldson, Ronnie Montrose and Chuck Ruff. As the band was beginning to record their first album, Montrose and Church left Sawbuck to join Van Morrison on his Tupelo Honey album...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - "Boots" Houston - tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
- Doug Messenger - electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Mark NaftalinMark NaftalinMark Naftalin is an American blues keyboardist, composer, and record producer.-Life:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, Naftalin is the son of former Minneapolis mayor Arthur Naftalin; he is married to third wife Ellen Naftalin...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Rick ShlosserRick ShlosserRick Shlosser is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music, has been a member ofVan Morrison's band and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He's also been a varied sessions drummer.-Discography:* Andy Pratt - Records Are Like Life...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Jack SchroerJack SchroerJohn Henry "Jack" Schroer was a saxophonist, pianist and arranger best known for his work with Van Morrison in the 1970s as a member of his band The Caledonia Soul Orchestra....
- altoAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
and baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
s
Dexys Midnight Runners
British pop band, Dexys Midnight RunnersDexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
, originally recorded a live version of "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" in November 1981 at the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
Theatre, London.
In the summer of 1982, the band recorded it for their album, Too-Rye-Ay
Too-Rye-Ay
Too-Rye-Ay is the second album by Dexys Midnight Runners, released in August 1982 . The album is best known for the hit single "Come On Eileen".-Track listing:#"The Celtic Soul Brothers" – 3:08...
, released in August 1982. As Dexys Midnight Runners' frontman, Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland is an English singer-songwriter and former frontman for the pop band Dexys Midnight Runners, which had several hits in the early 1980s, the most notable being "Geno" and "Come On Eileen".-Career:...
, admitted to writer Peter Mills, one of the reasons that the band recorded it was because he "had a soft spot for the song". It was released as the follow-up single to their number-one hit "Come On Eileen
Come on Eileen
"Come On Eileen" was a single released by Dexys Midnight Runners in 1982. The song was written by Kevin Rowland, "Big" Jim Paterson, and Billy Adams; it was produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. It also appeared on the album Too-Rye-Ay...
" and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, as well as sixteen on the Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
. The band's record label, Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
, originally wanted "Jackie Wilson Said" to be released as the first single from Too-Rye-Ay, but "Come On Eileen" was considered a better take. Van Morrison was requested to contribute to this cover of "Jackie Wilson Said". Instead Morrison intoned comments for fans in a monologue intended as an album coda, but this was eventually cut from the album.
At the time of Too-Rye-Ays release, it was often written up by the media as being a "Van Morrison rip-off". Rowland later denied this and commented, "They weren't saying I was influenced by Van. They were saying it was a rip off. But I made that clear, I spoke about that. I covered one of his songs for god's sake!".
The song was later reissued on several compilation albums including: The Very Best of Dexys Midnight Runners
The Very Best of Dexys Midnight Runners
The Very Best of Dexys Midnight Runners is a best of compilation album by Dexys Midnight Runners.-Track listing:# Come On Eileen# Jackie Wilson Said # Let's Get This Straight...
, Dexys Midnight Runners - Mercury Master Series, Let's Make this Precious: The Best of Dexys Midnight Runners and it also was featured on the live album, BBC Radio One Live in Concert
BBC Radio One Live in Concert (Dexys Midnight Runners album)
BBC Radio One Live in Concert was a live album by Dexys Midnight Runners, recorded for the BBC in 1982 and released in 1995. It was the group's first official live album and remained their only official live album until the release of The Projected Passion Revue in 2007...
.
Dexys Minight Runners version of "Jackie Wilson Said" was included in "Bomb", a 1982 episode of the television series, The Young Ones
The Young Ones (TV series)
The Young Ones is a British sitcom, first broadcast in 1982, which ran for two series on BBC2. Its anarchic, offbeat humour helped bring alternative comedy to television in the 1980s and made household names of its writers and performers...
. They performed it on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, but in front of a picture of darts player, Jocky Wilson
Jocky Wilson
John Thomas Wilson known as "Jocky" Wilson, is a former Scottish darts champion. He retired from the game in 1995.Wilson was twice World professional Darts Champion in 1982 and 1989...
. There remains some debate as to whether it was a misunderstanding or a deliberate act.
Other covers
It was covered by Tommy McLainTommy McLain
Tommy McLain is an American swamp pop musician, best known as a singer but who also plays keyboards, drums, bass guitar, and fiddle.-Career:...
in 1999 on the album, The Cajun Rod Stewart: Crazy Cajun Recordings. A cover version of the song by Syl Johnson
Syl Johnson
Syl Johnson is an American blues and soul singer and record producer.-Biography:Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed...
was released on the 2003 tribute album, Vanthology: a Tribute to Van Morrison
Vanthology: A Tribute to Van Morrison
Vanthology: A Tribute to Van Morrison released in August 2003 is the third tribute album for the songs of Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison.-Track listing:All songs by Van Morrison#"Tupelo Honey" performed by Little Milton - 4:39...
. Irish band Darby O'Gill
Darby O'Gill (band)
Darby O'Gill is an Irish/folk band based in Portland, Oregon. The band's name is taken from a fictional character who appears in the writings of the Irish-American author Herminie Templeton Kavanagh.- Band history :Darby O'Gill was formed in 1994...
covered the song on the 2004 album, The Gettin's Good. David Campbell
David Campbell (Australian musician)
David Joseph Campbell is an Australian singer and stage performer. He has performed and recorded many different genres of music from rock to classics. He is the son of singer Jimmy Barnes.-Theatre career:...
recorded a version on his 2008 album, Good Lovin'
Good Lovin' (David Campbell album)
Good Lovin' is the third studio album by Australian singer/actor David Campbell, released in November 2008. It is a collection of songs described by Campbell as 'blue-eyed soul', mostly from the 1960s....
.
Van Morrison
| Chart (1972) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
61 |
Dexys Midnight Runners
| Chart (1982) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
5 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
16 |